The coordination of actin filament and microtubule (MT) dynamics is important for axon pathfinding in the developing nervous system. A number of axon guidance cues are known, including netrins and their receptors, but it is unclear whether they regulate MT dynamics directly or indirectly. Guofa Liu and colleagues now (p. 3070) investigate netrin signalling in cultured primary neuron cells isolated from embryonic mice. They show that TUBB3, a neuronal β-tubulin isotype III and the most dynamic tubulin type, directly interacts with the netrin receptor DCC (deleted in colorectal cancer) and that this interaction is induced by netrin-1. DCC and TUBB3 also colocalize to the growth cones of primary neurons. The authors furthermore demonstrate that the interaction between DCC and TUBB3 is dependent on MT dynamics, because treatment with either the MT-stabilizing drug taxol or the MT-destabilizer nocodazole inhibited this association. Importantly, knockdown of TUBB3 resulted in inhibition of netrin-1-induced neurite and commissural axon outgrowth in vitro, and in defects in commissural axon growth projection in vivo in the developing spinal cord of chick embryos. Taken together, these data suggest that TUBB3 interacts directly with DCC and is required for netrin-1-induced axon outgrowth and tuning in the developing nervous system, thus providing a direct link between axon guidance cues and MT dynamics.

Pavan Vedula and Anna Kashina propose a new concept, the actin code, which encompasses the regulation of the essential functions of mammalian actins at the nucleotide level, rather than at the level of amino acids.

“To me, there are no real boundaries between chemistry, biology, physics and maths.”

Tony leads a group at the Mechanobiology Institute in Singapore, focusing on dissecting the structure–function relationship that underlies protein complexes that are involved in cell migration and adhesion. He shares his thoughts on why you don’t necessarily have to choose between the different branches of science that you find fascinating.

We also feature interviews with first authors of a selection of papers published in Journal of Cell Science, helping early-career researchers promote themselves alongside their papers. Check out our recent First Person interview with Julia Abitbol.

The second in our series of cell dynamics meetings now turns to organelles. This May 2019 meeting in Lisbon, Portugal, aims to bring together scientists studying the interface between organelles and the cytoskeleton at different scales and perspectives using a range of model systems. Find out more and register your interest here.

We are currently seeking proposals for four Workshops to be held in 2020. Do you have an idea for a Workshop? Please let us know and you could be one of our 2020 Workshop organisers. You focus on the science, we focus on the logistics. We are particularly keen to receive proposals from postdocs. Deadline date for applications is 25 May 2018.

Meet the preLighters! In the latest interview with our preLights community, the preLights team caught up with James Gagnon, Assistant Professor at the University of Utah, to talk about his research, how science can be made more open, his enthusiasm for the preLights project and the fun sides of being a junior PI.

Alexander García Ponce investigated how hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) cross the vascular wall and reach the bone marrow as part of his PhD project, with an aim to improving the outcome of HSC transplantation for individuals with leukaemia. A Travelling Fellowship from JCS allowed Alexander to advance his research at the Sanquin Blood Bank in The Netherlands. Read more on his story here.

Where could your research take you? Join Alexander and apply for the next round of Travelling Fellowships from JCS by 25 May 2018.